Torque figures are also up by 4 kgm over the older car - at 37 kgm, which is brilliant.

I am driving the Passat in the top-spec Highline trim that comes with Volkswagen's famous dual-clutch gearbox, while the Trendline starts off the range and is only available with a manual transmission.

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

Unfortunately, along with the bump up in engine output figures, this Passat has put on some weight as well.

While the outgoing car boasted of a kerb weight of 1,496 kg, the new Passat weighs in at 1,605 kg, an increase of a whole 109 kilos.

Sure, that's all on paper; the clincher is in the way any car behaves in real life. Punch the throttle down, and before you know it you're doing triple-digit speeds. But you are so isolated from the experience that it feels like... nothing!

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

Swinging it around corners is a cause for celebration every time, with the car never leaving its line. The steering isn't the stiffest I've come across but calling it light would be unfair.

The brakes hear their call with urgency every time they are summoned and stop the car predictably with no hair-raising antics whatsoever.

As the group of letters adorning the lower right part of the boot testify, the new Passat benefits from Volkswagen 's BlueMotion Technology - a bunch of systems that strive to make the car cleaner and more efficient.

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

Starting from the engine which is designed to perform better while keeping its act clean, the new Passat also gets auto start/stop technology and regenerative braking that converts energy - which otherwise would be lost as heat - into electricity to help charge the battery.

Open the doors and you are greeted with smart beige or black interiors, depending on the trim you choose.

In the Highline trim, the driver and co-driver's seats are climate-controlled as well. Wood and aluminium add a dash of opulence to the interiors, while a smart looking analogue clock takes prominence in the centre of the dash.

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

The new Passat gets a start/stop button, keyless entry and the superbly laminated glass areas that help keep the outside commotion er, outside with their ingenious sound dampening design.

Then there is the optical parking display that employs a camera mounted under the Volkswagen monogram at the rear. When you engage reverse, the chrome moniker swivels upwards, revealing the camera to do its business.

It's right out of a James Bond movie! But the biggest party trick in the new Passat is its Park Assist system.

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

What this system does is that it closely monitors the driver's steering pattern.

When it detects an aberration in this pattern over a period of 15 minutes and at a continuous speed of 65 kmh and above, the driver is alerted with an audible alarm and a flashing coffee cup icon on the instrument display console.

I do not check this feature out for myself, though, and I think Volkswagen will appreciate that!

What to expect in Volkswagen's NEW Passat

The car will hold up very well in the longevity department and as the last-gen model proved, living with it is going to be as easy as can be.

And at Rs 25.65 lakh for the Highline (Rs 20.8 lakh for the Trendline and Rs 23.80 lakh for the Comfortline - all prices ex-showroom Delhi), the Passat is decent value considering what it has on offer.

Buy it for your daily commute and for lugging the family around. But if you want your car to move your soul every time you choose to kick the chauffeur out of his seat, look elsewhere.

The writer was on a media invite from Volkswagen India to test-drive the new Passat in Goa.